First for Culture in Wales

The Welsh Music Foundation, with support from Arts Council of Wales have just announced a brand new day geared towards understanding and promoting the Electronic scene all across the country, with the Electronic Music Summit Wales taking place at Clwb Ifor Bach all day on July 19. As well as sessions with advice and ideas for DIT (that’s do it together) Electronic artists, how to get music radio ready and keynote speakers, it will hopefully be a timely chance to rouse attention and debate the state of Electronic music in Welsh cities.

Looking jealously across the Severn Sea last Friday was enough to pique interest in where Wales (and particularly Cardiff) is as a scene for Electronic music currently. Discounting every venue except one was still enough to make a Welsh resident and Electronic music fan envious, as Colston Hall hosted both EMA and the revered Flying Lotus in one night. The fact that the latter was able to be co-promoted by Bristol’s own free Music Monthly, Crack Magazine is even more of a reminder of both the ready made audience and standing of our similarly sized neighbour. When’s the last time a Caribou or a Jon Hopkins played Cardiff?

Of course, there’s way more to Electronic Music here than whether the tip-top of the electro crops grace our venues – EMSW will also be a chance for artists to circumnavigate promotional problems, network and listen to experts from the scene and doubtlessly it will be a brilliant way to promote what’s happening in Wales already, as well as a great time(for us at the very least) to discover some hidden gems from across Wales. Of our recent foray across Cardiff’s mini festivals, the stand out discovery was finding the fixating, aberrant performances of Y Pencadlys and wondering why the heck we hadn’t already. Hopefully EMSW will be a chance to shine a light on such talents as well as looking at the issues facing such artists and promoters too.

We will be covering the event in full, with interviews and features in the lead up to the event on July 19th, as well as covering some of our favourite Welsh Electronic acts from the ages. Tickets for Electronic Music Summit Wales can be purchased now from eventbrite here and you can check out the snazzy EMSW site for more information below.